UAV Hazardous Materials Flight Path Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current UAV systems lack the capability to generate and display flight paths specific to hazardous materials, environmental conditions, and regulatory procedures, and face challenges in accurately collecting and validating data due to localized air disturbances and limited flight times.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that receives inputs for incident locations and measurement zones to generate and display flight paths for UAVs, using georectification and graphics modules to produce emissions indicators on satellite aerial maps, ensuring spatial accuracy and efficient data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the UAV hovers during data collection, then the spatial accuracy of collected data is improved, but the flight time is reduced and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates the spatial offset between the UAV position and the actual sampling location based on sensor response time and UAV velocity. This preliminary correction allows the system to maintain measurement precision without hovering, as the data is adjusted to reflect the correct spatial location despite the UAV being in motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a corrected copy of the spatial data by applying offset calculations to map the collected emissions data to the actual geographic location. This allows the moving UAV to collect data that is accurately attributed to stationary geographic coordinates, resolving the contradiction between motion and spatial accuracy.
2Productivity
If the UAV moves at high speed to maximize area coverage, then productivity is improved, but the spatial accuracy of collected data deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical solution of hovering (physical stationary position) with a computational approach. By using sensor response time data and UAV velocity to calculate spatial offsets, the system achieves accurate geographic mapping without requiring the UAV to physically stop, thus maintaining high speed coverage while ensuring data accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the spatial offset parameters based on real-time UAV velocity and sensor response time. This parameter-based correction allows the system to maintain measurement precision across varying flight speeds, enabling high-speed operation without sacrificing spatial accuracy.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the UAV operates with limited battery power, then flight time is constrained, but moving faster reduces total area assessed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic flight path optimization that adjusts the UAV's velocity and sampling rate based on real-time conditions and remaining battery power. This dynamic approach allows the UAV to maximize area coverage within the constrained flight time by optimizing speed and sampling frequency throughout the mission, rather than maintaining a fixed speed profile.
4Measurement precision
If the system collects detailed emissions data at high resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but the amount of data to be processed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by collecting high-resolution emissions data only in areas where hazardous materials are detected or suspected. In low-risk areas, the system reduces sampling frequency or resolution, thereby maintaining measurement precision where needed while reducing overall data volume and processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a first input associated with an incident location of an incident. A second input associated with a measurement zone surrounding the incident location is received. The method further includes producing, via a display monitor, a set of waypoints associated with a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on the first input and the second input. The set of waypoints is displayed on a satellite aerial map including the incident location.